Oussama Ben Laden est mort / Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden is dead

[Al-khiyal]

Oussama Ben Laden est mort

Lundi 2 Mai 2011 -- Selon CNN et MSNBC, Osama bin Laden serait mort. Le président des États-Unis Barack Obama va s'adresser à ses compatriotes dimanche, a annoncé la Maison Blanche, sans donner dans l'immédiat la raison de cette intervention-surprise. Le président «va s'adresser à la nation ce soir à 22H30, heure de la côte Est», a indiqué le directeur de la communication de la Maison Blanche, Dan Pfeiffer, sur son compte Twitter. Des responsables de la présidence n'ont pas donné davantage de détails dans l'immédiat sur le sujet de cette allocution extrêmement inhabituelle.

[Al-khiyal]

مسؤولون أمريكيون: اسامة بن لادن مات

واشنطن (رويترز) - اعلن مسؤولون أمريكيون في ساعة مبكرة من صباح يوم الاثنين ان اسامة بن لادن زعيم تنظيم القاعدة مات وان السلطات الامريكية انتشلت جثته.

ومن المقرر إن يعلن الرئيس الامريكي باراك أوباما بعد فترة وجيزة انه بعد البحث دون جدوى عن ابن لادن منذ اختفائه في افغانستان اواخر عام 2001 فقد مات ابن لادن.

ويعد تحقيق الهدف الذي قال سلفه جورج بوش انه يسعى اليه وهو محاكمة العقل المدبر لهجمات 11 سبتمبر ايلول 2001 انجازا كبيرا لاوباما وفريقه للامن القومي.

[Al-khiyal]

Osama Bin Laden killed in Abbotabad near Islamabad, Pakistan

May 2, 2011 -- Pakistani Urdu TV channel Geo News quoted Pakistani intelligence officials as saying that the world's most wanted terrorist Osama Bin Laden was killed in a search operation launched by Pakistani forces after a Pakistani army helicopter was shot down in the wee hours of Monday in Abbotabad, a mountainous town located some 60 kilometers north of Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad. At about 1:20 a.m. local time a Pakistani helicopter was shot down by unknown people in the Sikandarabad area of Abbotabad. The Pakistani forces launched a search operation in the nearby area and encountered with a group of unknown armed people. A fire exchange followed between the two sides. When the fire exchange ended, the Pakistani forces arrested some Arab women and kids as well as some other armed people who later confessed to the Pakistani forces they were with Osama Bin laden when the fire was exchanged and Bin Laden was killed in the firing. Local media reported that after the dead body of Bin Laden was recovered, two U.S. helicopter flew to the site and carried away the dead body of Bin Laden. Initial reports said that at least one was killed and two others were injured in the crash. At least two houses were engulfed by the huge fire caused by the crashed chopper. Rescue team rushed to the site shortly after the crash was reported and the armed forces cordoned off the area and launched a search operation there. Sources of Xinhua said they tried to enter the area after the incident took place, but no media people were allowed inside. "No one knows in that helicopter crash Bin Laden was killed," said the sources.

[Al-khiyal]

[Al-khiyal]

Bin Laden killed in Abbottabad, 40 miles from Islamabad

ISLAMABAD, May 2, 2011 (Dow Jones) -- Osama Bin Laden was killed in a joint raid in Pakistan's northwestern district of Abbottabad, some 40 miles from Islamabad, in a joint raid overnight Sunday, according to a senior Pakistani official. The town also is home to a Pakistani military academy. Two American helicopters took part in the operation, the official said. One Pakistani helicopter involved in the raid crashed after it was hit by firing from militants.

[Al-khiyal]

U.S. forces kill Al Qaeda figurehead in firefight

May 2, 2011 -- U.S. president Barack Obama has confirmed the United States has conducted an operation in which Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed. Mr Obama made the statement during an address broadcast around the world. "The United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al Qaeda - a terrorist who is responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women and children," he said. The confirmation follows widespread media reports that bin Laden was killed in a mansion outside Pakistan's capital Islamabad last week.

Mr Obama said he was briefed last August on a lead that bin Laden was hiding inside "a compound deep inside Pakistan". "Last week [it was] determined we had enough information to attack the compound," he said. "Today at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad in Pakistan. A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability. After a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body." There were no Americans nor civilian casualties in the mission, Mr Obama said. Early reports said bin Laden had been killed along with 20 other people. "The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our efforts against Al Qaeda," Mr Obama said. "Tonight is a testament to the greatness of our country... we are reminded that America can do whatever we set our minds to."

The 54-year-old Saudi had been the most wanted man in the world since 2001 when he helped orchestrate the September 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington. "It was nearly 10 years ago that a bright September day was darkened by an attack on the American people," Mr Obama said. "Nearly 3,000 citizens were taken from us, leaving a gaping hole in our hearts. We reaffirmed our ties to each other, our love of community and country. We were united as one American family. We were also united in our resolve to protect our nation... we went to war against Al Qaeda. The American people did not choose this fight. It came to our shores and started with the senseless slaughter of our citizens." Mr Obama reaffirmed the U.S. was not at war with Islam. "Bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he killed scores of Muslims." Mr Obama said he had a message for the families of the victims of the September 11 attacks. "We have never forgotten your loss nor wavered in our commitment to do whatever it takes to prevent further attacks on our shores," he said.

The killing of bin Laden is a major accomplishment for Mr Obama and his national security team, fulfilling the goal once voiced by Mr Obama's predecessor, George W Bush, to bring bin Laden to justice. Mr Bush, who was in office at the time of the September 11 attacks and famously said he wanted bin Laden dead or alive, said his death was a "momentous achievement". "The fight against terror goes on, but tonight America has sent an unmistakable message: No matter how long it takes, justice will be done," Mr Bush said in a statement. U.S. soldiers and Afghan militia forces launched a large-scale assault on the Tora Bora mountains after the attacks in pursuit of bin Laden. The trail quickly went cold after he disappeared and many intelligence officials believed he had been hiding in Pakistan. While in hiding, bin Laden had taunted the West and advocated his militant Islamist views in videotapes spirited from his hideaway.

Besides September 11, the U.S. has also linked bin Laden to a string of attacks, including the 1998 bombings of American embassies in Kenya and Tanzania and the 2000 bombing of the warship USS Cole in Yemen. The death of bin Laden will raise huge questions about the future shape of Al Qaeda and also have steep implications for U.S. security and foreign policy 10 years into a global anti-terror campaign. It will also raise fears that the United States and its allies will face retaliation from supporters of bin Laden and other Islamic extremist groups. Chants of "USA, USA" rang out from tourists outside the White House as reports of bin Laden's death sent an electric charge through Washington. A group of around 20 people gathered outside the fence of the presidential mansion, sang the U.S. national anthem, and started shouting and cheering. Despite the decade that has elapsed since the September 11 attacks, the event, one of the most traumatic in U.S. history, still stirs raw emotions, and bin Laden's demise will be celebrated across the United States.

[Al-khiyal]

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